Feminist Frequency

The always-awesome Anita Sarkeesian of Feminist Frequency has a new video up today comparing the book and movie versions of The Hunger Games. She makes some great points about the humanizing (or lack thereof) of the tributes, the irony of watching people watch people kill one another for entertainment, and the whitewashing of Katniss and Hollywood in general.

We actually do have a radar, and we're tracking a mysterious holiday feminist flying a bike over the Pacific Ocean, spreading cheer to all.

• Tami Winfrey Harris has a piece at Racialicious that might help you navigate disagreements with loved ones and the myth of "political correctness."
• Nigerian author Chimamanda Adichie reflects on the justice not served for Nafissatou Diallo in Newsweek.
• On the Huffington Post, Cathy Renna details the transphobic, homophobic, racist, and sexist problems with ABC's show Work It. Sign the HRC petition to get it off the air here.
• Lisa Wade talks about the infantilization of women in Maybelline's latest ad campaign, "Baby Lips," at Ms.
• Rihanna had some choice words to hand back to the poor choice of words used by Dutch fashion mag Jackie (the editor has since resigned).
• The first episode of Yo! LGBT Raps is up!
• Young women share their reactions to the Girl Effect in this AWID young feminist blogathon.
• Check out this call for submissions for a zine on queer stories on migration, immigration, displacement, and diaspora. The submission date may have passed, but you may be able to sneak something in. Plus they need help for zine layout and distribution!
• Anita at Feminist Frequency made a list of the top five creepiest, sexist Christmas songs.

Share what you're reading online in the comments section!

I recently watched afternoon cartoons on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network and I was shocked to find a flood of highly gendered toy commercials. These ads not only market toys to children but they also promote and encourage gender-specific values that are very limiting to boys and girls in different ways. The values and skills promoted in these commercials can play a critical role in the socalization of youth and their development of emotional expression, conflict resolution, the confidence to pursue various careers and the ability to maintain healthy relationships as adults.

Advertisers are tapping into some of the most misogynistic male fantasies when they use futuristic fembots to convince men to buy their products. They are selling a fantasy of control by turning women into obedient, mute, homemaking, sex slaves.